review: The Happening

June 15th, 2008

dan rating system: Full Price
recommendation: No Chillins under 14

Ahh…my first review written on Rotten Tomatoes. That’s kinda fresh, right?

(note: I’m also posting this on my blogs…so don’t be confused my friends)

Listen, this movie has gotten a piss poor rap, and I can’t help but be reminded of Lady In The Water. I’m not an M. Night fanboy, but I do enjoy his work, so take what I say here with a grain of salt. That being said: this movie does not suck.

I still kind of agree with the consensus that it starts with promise and then degrades a little. Mr. Shyamalan would have done well to get an appointment with a script doctor on this deal. The story might have been better served being more about the love story between Elliot and Alma and less about, well, the happening. He very successfully did this in The Village, so I know he’s got it in him!

Spoilers Follow! Beware! BEWARE!!!

First, I’ll address the end. Had the love story been developed more, I would have felt more moved when they decide to be together despite threat of death. But even that scene itself felt pretty rushed and contrived. Both Mark Wahlberg and Zooey Deschanel are great actors, so I’m left to blame the writing, directing, and editing that made that scene so bad. Sorry Night. You’re cool and all, but it just didn’t quite get there.

The good? Well, there is certainly a Hitchcockian, looming, unseen terror throughout the film. And despite what others have said, I think that throwing the gore factor into this one was a good decision. It fit. There was some pretty traumatic imagery that the movie would have felt incomplete had it not been there. There was a little bit o’ comic relief that worked as well, so I literally laughed between moments of fear.

Also, I do appreciate his treatment of his characters. M. Night always seems to put a lot of care in birthing them; as though they are his very children. I like that in a writer. Maybe the character development was a bit off in this one, but it doesn’t mean that he didn’t care. Maybe he just forgot.

Unfortunately, the bad is glaringly bad. I’ve already mentioned the lack of a central plot device (or did I? well, there is a lack of a central plot). But there were also some dangling participles that I thought were completely unnecessary and made this feel more like a sophomoric effort than someone’s 9th film. LIke the little boys getting capped on the crazy old man’s porch. I mean, I get shock value, but all I ended up thinking is WTF???

And dude…is it just me, or is this picture incredibly preachy? M. Night attacks environmental apathy, emotional apathy, detachment, anger, and the list goes on and on. By the end, I didn’t know if I was supposed to love my neighbor, invest in solar energy, or cut down my tree swing. There really shouldn’t have been an underlying moral to this story; I don’t think Al would have approved.

Not that Al. He probably would have approved.

Again, overall, I still think this was a fun movie. It scared me and that’s what I wanted. I said this about the rest of his followups to The Sixth Sense, and I’ll say it again: if you expect this to be that, then you’re going to be incredibly disappointed. MNS has a style. He takes other genres and pulls them into the thriller genre and it works (think about it. he’s done a ghost story, a superhero movie, an alien movie, and now a horror film. He adapts them to his flavor, and it works. I just wish he’d get some help on his scripts.

Oh yeah, the Dan rating system and recommendations. I give it a Full Price rating if you’re not going to poo poo on the fact that this isn’t his best work. And I wouldn’t take your nino’s to see it unless they’re over 14. There’s some pretty scary imagery that could cause some serious nightmareage. Get it? NIGHTmareage?

Tags: , ,

Filed under: uncategorized | No Comments »

The Incredible Hulk (again…not a review)

June 15th, 2008

So I think I like doing things this way for now. Basically another “random thoughts during the movie” post, typed on my phone. It’s a little stream of consciousness, or something like that:

Ed Norton makes any movie awesome.

Only in Brazil do female factory workers look like super models.

I need a new hat.

A little silly nothing…I think if I were sprinting through the streets, my heart rate would be through the roof.

Okay, definitely badder ass.

Lou Ferrigno’s cameo is way better in this one too.

So much truer to the television series than the last.

Liv Tyler is like Jennifer Connely and Jennifer Garner rolled into one.

General Ross bad.

Say what you want about comic books, but Stan Lee has created some of the most complex, deep, and authentic characters in all of literature.

Lots of references to the Marvel while still keeping the story believable.

Best place in the world to get lost: NYC

This movie’s stacked with talent.

And suddenly I’m reminded of Rampage.

Alright, alright. Good reference to the comics with the “Mega Clap”, but c’mon.

Hulk smash!!!

If I don’t see Tony Stark soon…

Hello Justice League movie.

Tags: , , , , ,

Filed under: uncategorized | No Comments »

Sex and the City (not really a review)

June 5th, 2008

I was planning on typing a full review, but my lack of desire to do so has gotten the best of me. What follows are the raw thoughts I had while actually in the movie last weekend, uncut, typed on my phone:

For any normal woman, being left on the day of her wedding would be devastating. For Carrie Bradshaw, it’s the end of a universe that revolves around her.

In the theater, when I hear laughter, it’s all female voices. At the oh so high-larious moment Charlotte poo’d her largeish pants, the chatter of woman giggle is all I can hear. It’s rather fun.

To watch this film is an exercise in observing the differences in the way women and men think. And feel. And act. And love. In terms of the human condition, we are all the same. In terms of living out that condition, we couldn’t possibly be more different.

I’m certain that I view this much differently than the 300 women watching it with me. And I think that’s wonderful.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Tags: , , ,

Filed under: uncategorized | No Comments »

oh steve (organized religion)

June 2nd, 2008

I wanted to post something of a clarification of my opinions. This is my official disassociation with Steve Pavlina…with whom I’ve never had an official association to begin with. In fact, no association whatsoever other than a respect for him as a writer and personal development theorist.

Until now, I’ve linked to Steve in many of my own articles and quoted him happily. But today I read a recent article that he posted on his blog that has prompted my loss of respect for him to such a level that I won’t be linking to him from here on out.

No offense to the man. He’s still written some of the best stuff I’ve ever read, and I won’t be removing old links. Some of his ideas I’ll still be implementing in my own life, and frankly, I’ll probably still read his blog from time to time. But I refuse to promote anyone who attacks other people’s beliefs with such vehemence.

Here’s the article, if you’re interested.

Amazingly, I don’t completely disagree with him. If you’re one of the 10 or so readers that have laid eyes on my blog, or if you know me personally, you probably already know that I certainly have my own love/hate relationship with organized religion. Religious fanaticism has caused more wars and atrocities than anything else in history. It has also caused much personal hurt to individuals that I personally know. Go ahead and lump me in there too.

But that doesn’t make religion itself evil or wrong. Nor does it make religious people idiots. Let me share here a few adjectives that Steve lovingly piles on proponents of religion: dysfunctional, false, authoritarian, incongruent, unproductive, idiotic, hypocritical, immature.

It’s not even the specific words he chose to use. It’s the overall tone of the article. The subtext that if you practice religion, you are an idiot.

Read a little more closely and it becomes obvious that Steve has been seriously hurt by organized religion – specifically the Catholic church. And thusly, I take his article to be further evidence that organized religion certainly does cause a tremendous amount of hurt. If a normally intelligent and reasonable man like Steve Pavlina can be inspired to lower himself to personal attack and insult against the largest group of people on earth, then those of us who do subscribe to a particular belief system should take our responsibility to NOT hurt people much more seriously.

Faith is not stupid, Steve. Religious piety is not ignorance. But I’m very sorry that foolish and evil men have given you such a bad taste in your mouth for the church (and I think, God…). You’re not alone…I’ve tasted how bitter it can be myself. Millions have. But attacking other people’s beliefs is not the answer.

As for my own opinions regarding religion, stay tuned. I don’t blame God for any of those wars or atrocities that I mentioned, that’s for sure. And I also don’t blame the literally billions of sane, kind, intelligent, faithful religious people who really do exist for them either. Though don’t we all share in the responsibility somewhat for the terrible things our family does in the name of God?

Alright, I’m just rambling again. As I said, stay tuned. In the meantime, farewell Steve!

Tags: , ,

Filed under: uncategorized | No Comments »

fasting. it ain’t just for gandhi.

June 1st, 2008

As usual, I excitedly cracked open my June issue of Men’s Health when it came the other day. Or rather when I found it, as I check my snail mail on average of once per week or so. Men’s Health is one of the few physical periodicals that I still read, and the only one for which I have a subscription. You know, that’s not true. I have a few industry rags that I get for free; so I guess an accurate statement would be Men’s Health is the only magazine that I pay for. (no matter how hard I try, I can’t keep from ending sentences in prepositions. it’s a nasty writer’s habit. like rambling.)

So, back on point. In it was an article about fasting by a writer named Speed Weed – which by the way is a totally sweet name. The article, The World’s Most Effective Diet, is all about this guy’s experience with regimental fasting; specifically, he fasts 36 hours every single week, and as of the article’s writing, had been doing so for 60 weeks. It’s a terrific read since he’s an excellent writer, and it paints fasting in a whole new light from the perspective of someone who loves food.

I think Speed Weed and I would totally get along.

I’m not going to rehash the article. I recommend you read it for yourself. To summarize, the writer covers some of the health benefits of fasting regularly, but then touches on some benefits you may not have thought of, like the fresh appreciation for food once the week’s fast is over.

Well, taking a cue from Steve Pavlina, I’m going to try out this fasting 36 hours a week thing for myself for 30 days. Try it on for size. See how it fits me. Traditionally, fasting has been for spiritual reasons. Or mostly for the gratification it gives my inner self-disciplinarian to tell my body “no”. But this guy has made it feel like something natural that I should be doing on a regular basis.

Therefore, tonight’s dinner was the last food my tongue shall taste for 36 hours. The plan is every Sunday night, I’ll eat dinner then not again until breakfast Tuesday morning. During the 30 days I may switch up the days a couple of times. Mondays feel like the right time because basically nothing happens on Mondays, but I’m wondering if Monday afternoons will be the least productive 4 working hours of my week, so I may have to do like Mr. Weed and fast Sundays instead. We shall see, my friends.

I’ll try to keep this blog (notbadbutgood) updated with my progress…wish me luck!

Tags: , , , ,

Filed under: body | No Comments »